NEW DELHI: Students of a coaching institute in Mukherjee Nagar area on Thursday smashed windows, climbed down ropes and took the help of ladders in desperate attempts to escape a fire that broke out on the top floor of the building housing it.
According to the police, the fire took out inside the building Bhandari House, Batra Complex, Mukherjee Nagar, Delhi. Around 200-250 students from different coaching centres were attending the classes at the time of the incident.
“We received information about the fire in a building. Later, we came to know that it is a coaching centre and some children are trapped in it. We sent 11 fire tenders to the spot. The fire has been brought under control,” said Atul Garg, director of Delhi Fire Service.
Garg said that a No Objection Certificate (NOC) was not required for the said building, as per the safety norms. “A few students received injuries in the incident while they were escaping from the building,” said Suman Nalwa, PRO, Delhi Police.
She further said that a fire broke out in the electricity meter of the building. The smoke has created panic among the students, all persons have been rescued safely and the firefighting operation has concluded, added Nalwa.
According to the MCD, the said building was a DDA commercial building. Two students, who suffered serious injuries, are getting treated at the Safdarjung Hospital and are stable. “ Around 20 students with minor injuries are getting treated at Hindu Rao Hospital and 15 students are getting treated at Babu Jagjivan Ram Hospital,” said MCD, in its statement.
However, Delhi Police said 61 students were admitted to 3 hospitals for treatment. After the inspection of the incident spot, the police lodged a complaint under Sections 36/337/338/120B/34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Mukherjee Police station and further investigation is under process, said Jitendra Kumar Meena, Deputy Commissioner Of Police (North West ).
Out of 61 students, 50 were discharged, while 11 are being treated at the hospital, the DCP added.
On Thursday evening, students of various coaching centres protested against the fire incident at Mukherjee Nagar. The Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also expressed his concern and called it an ‘unfortunate incident’.
Taking to Twitter, he wrote, “Some students have suffered minor injuries while trying to escape. The rest are safe. There is nothing to panic, the fire has been brought under control by the fire department. The district administration is also present at the spot.”
Joining issue with Kejriwal, BJP’s Delhi president Virendra Sachdeva shot back: “Do all the coaching institutes take No Objection Certificates or not. Is Kejriwal doing corruption in this too?”